businessNOW™ is our round-up of business and organizational news from Peterborough and across the greater Kawarthas region.
This week, we’re featuring the six Peterborough-area entrepreneurs who are receiving $30,000 in funding from the Start Company Plus program administered by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre, and the awarding of the contract for the Eastern Ontario Regional Network Cell Gap Project to Rogers Communications.
Also included this week is a $25,000 donation from a Markham-based real estate developer and builder to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in Lindsay. a Fleming College grad who is celebrating the one-year anniversary of his game show business, two job opportunities at Artspace in Peterborough, 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook receiving $61,980 in provincial funding support for the arts sector, and the Ontario government’s loosening of dining restrictions in Grey-Lockdown, Red-Control, and Orange-Restrict levels.
Six Peterborough-area entrepreneurs receive $30,000 in funding from Starter Company Plus program
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre has announced the six entrepreneurs in the winter intake of the Starter Company Plus entrepreneurial program who are each receiving a $5,000 grant.
The six businesses receiving grants are:
- Christine Jaros of VerminiX Pest Control Company in Peterborough, which offers pest control solutions for residential, commercial, and cottage customers in the Peterborough area.
- Fenna Renee Green of Daily Development in Peterborough, which provide one-to-one support for people with disabilities and their families.
- Lia Gomez Lowe of Full Bloom Health in Peterborough, which offers holistic nutrition counselling to women in the perinatal stages of life.
- Mike Frampton of Tragically Dipped Donuts in Peterborough, which sells fresh handmade donuts, all-day breakfast, and locally roasted coffee from a food truck.
- Scott D. Bain and Sandy Spremo of The K9 Clipper in Peterborough, a dog grooming business set to open this spring, initially offering bathing, skin care, clipping, styling, and general grooming services for pets.
- E. Tristan Pulham and Tyler O’Conner of Elemental Tree Care in Bridgenorth, which provides a wide range of tree care services, including hazardous removals, tree pruning, plant health care services, and more.
Funded by the Ontario government, Starter Company Plus is designed to provide business training to aspiring or experienced entrepreneurs in the city and county of Peterborough who are launching a new business or expanding an existing one that’s been operating for five years or less.
A total of 12 entrepreneurs participated in the eight-week program, which is delivered completely online and culminates with six of the entrepreneurs each being awarded a grant of $5,000, with the selection based on creativity and viability of their business and the strength of their business plan.
“Even after a difficult year, entrepreneurs and small business owners in Peterborough and the Kawarthas have shown up,” says Hillary Manion, the entrepreneurship officer who oversees the Starter Company Plus program. “With both new startups and expansions, this intake of the Starter Company Plus was a diverse and unique group. I am very proud of all 12 businesses that participated in the program and am honoured to have had the chance to watch their businesses take shape. They will, without a doubt, add to our community as a whole.”
Rogers Communications awarded contract to improve cellular services in eastern Ontario
Rogers Communications has been awarded the contract to improve cellular services in eastern Ontario as part of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN)’s Cell Gap Project.
In May 2017, the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) — a non-profit organization created by the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, which represents 13 municipalities across eastern Ontario, to improve broadband access across the region — proposed a $213 million public-private partnership to enhance both the reach and quality of cellular data services.
According an EORN-commissioned engineering study, around a quarter of eastern Ontario where there are homes, businesses, or major roads contain cellular “dead zones”, where people cannot access any cellular services and, where cellular service does exist, nearly two-thirds of the area doesn’t have enough capacity to provide high-quality mobile broadband service.
The estimated total cost of the Cell Gap Project is $302 million, with the Canadian and Ontario governments each contributing $71 million, with an additional $10 million coming from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus and most municipalities within the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus.
Rogers Communications, which was selected through a competitive bidding process, will be investing $150 million in new or improved cell infrastructure.
The project will involve construction of more than 300 new telecommunication sites and will upgrade more than 300 existing sites over the next four to five years, bringing 5G wireless network technology to the region. Upgrades and construction will begin as early as this spring. New services will be activated as groups of towers are built or upgraded, with the project fully completed in 2025.
In addition to improving cellular services in eastern Ontario, the project is expected to create more than 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs and generate $420 million in new business revenue over 10 years.
Markham-based real estate developer and builder donates $25,000 to Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in Lindsay
Flato Developments Inc., a real estate developer and builder based in Markham with plans to develop neighbourhoods in the Lindsay and Cameron areas, has donated $25,000 to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in Lindsay.
“We recognize and value the importance of keeping our communities healthy and safe, which is why we’re so excited to be supporting Ross Memorial Hospital,” said Flato owner Shakir Rehmatullah, who presented a cheque to Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation CEO Erin Coons on Monday (March 22).
“When we build communities, we support communities,” Rehmatullah added. “In Kawartha Lakes, we look forward to continuing to partner with and support community organizations to achieve their goals that will make the community better for everyone.”
“This generous gift will support hospital needs including life-saving technology, patient care equipment and priority projects,” Coons said. “We’re pleased to welcome Shakir and his team at Flato to the community and to our donor family at the Ross.”
“As our community continues to grow, we are investing in the services and infrastructure that our residents need to thrive,” added Kawartha Lakes mayor Andy Letham. “Access to health care is one of the top priorities. I can’t say enough about the Ross Memorial Hospital and the outstanding service they provide to Kawartha Lakes residents. Many thanks to Shakir Rehmatullah for this gift.”
Fleming College grad celebrates one-year anniversary of his game show business
Ryan Smith is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Quiz Show Trivia, his game show business that provides private online and virtual game shows based on classics of the genre.
The Fleming College graduate launched Quiz Show Trivia while locked down on his parents’ Ontario-based farm in March 2020.
“In the first year, we’ve hosted over 75 games,” Smith states in a media release. “Some of these have been tournaments, some fundraisers. Our largest game saw over 100 players competing in teams which included people from as far away as New Zealand.”
Smith’s website at www.trivia.show promises prizes with every game show booked, which have included such sponsored items as gift cards, tech gadgets, food and beverages, clothing and more.
Smith’s company works with local and independent brands in various promotional capacities, lending its game shows as the platform. Partnering with Quiz Show Trivia entitles sponsors to more than just in-game ads. Businesses also enjoy free advertising on a frequently visited website page, inclusion in social media campaigns, and other unique marketing opportunities.
Artspace in Peterborough seeking candidates for two job openings
Artspace, the non-profit artist-run centre in Peterborough, is accepting applications for two positions: artistic director/curator and director of operations and development.
Each position is full time (35 hours per week) and each pays $40,000. Artspace will be accepting applications until each position is filled.
For more details, including qualifications and skills required, and to apply, visit artspace-arc.org/calls/job-opportunities/.
Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre receives $61,980 in provincial funding support for arts sector
4th Line Theatre in Millbrook is one of 140 arts organizations across Ontario receiving $24 million in one-time funding from the Ontario government.
Details were provided earlier in March by by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.
“Arts organizations make an important contribution to our province, providing thousands of jobs for musicians, writers, painters, actors, dancers, stagehands and the many others working behind the scenes,” MacLeod said. “They entertain us, but they also play an important role in the mental health and well-being of Ontarians and an equally important role in the province’s economic and social recovery.”
4th Line Theatre, the only arts organization in the Kawarthas to receive a grant, is receiving $61,980.
Along with the $24 million in one-time funding, the province will be providing $1 million in support directly to artists and creators from across the province. More information on the funding including eligibility requirements and application deadlines, will be available on the Ontario Arts Council website at www.arts.on.ca.
Ontario government loosens dining restrictions in Grey-Lockdown, Red-Control, and Orange-Restrict levels
The Ontario government has loosened dining restrictions at restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, for regions in the Grey-Lockdown, Red-Control, and Orange-Restrict levels of the province’s COVID-19 response framework. The changes went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 20th.
For regions in the Orange-Restrict and Red-Control levels, capacity limits for indoor dining will be based on a standard, scalable calculation that will allow for up to approximately 50 per cent of the indoor dining area to be accessible to the public, subject to physical distancing rules. The total occupancy cannot exceed 50 patrons in Red-Control and 100 patrons in Orange-Restrict.
While indoor dining continues to be prohibited for regions in the Grey-Lockdown level, outdoor dining is now permitted in those regions, subject to physical distancing rules and a number of other public health and workplace safety measures.
Seating for indoor dining in the Orange-Restrict and Red-Control levels is limited to members of the same household with exemptions for patrons who live alone and caregivers. The same applies to outdoor dining in the Grey-Lockdown level.
Each establishment must post a sign in a location visible to the public that states the maximum capacity (number of patrons) allowed in the establishment.
For business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
